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26

DAPHNE CARUANA GALIZIA

THE BLOGGING FURY

MALTA

Illustration by Denise Nestor for POLITICO

The best way to think of Daphne Caruana Galizia is as a one-woman WikiLeaks, crusading against untransparency and corruption in Malta, an island nation famous for both. To John Dalli, a former European commissioner whom she helped bring down in a tobacco lobbying scandal, Galizia is “a terrorist.” To opposition MPs, she’s a political force of nature, one who fortunately has her guns aimed at the other side of the aisle. “She single-handedly brought the government to the verge of collapse,” says one MP. “The lady has balls,” says another.

Galizia’s mantra is simple: blog relentlessly about the “cronyism that is accepted as something normal here. I can’t bear to see people like that rewarded.” Nothing scandalous is too big or too small, be it false declarations of residency by the beneficiaries of Malta’s cash-for-passports scheme or the evening-wear decisions of the prime minister’s wife.

No one is exempt from Galizia’s digital cross-examination, and her language is invariably scalding. “Education minister blows own trumpet about ethics classes,” is a typical headline. “How much is she paid again?” she wrote in October of a government communications officer. “Enough to cover the cancer treatment of several patients, no doubt. But they’ve got to go begging off charity to get their medication paid for.”

Fear of where her country has headed has made her unapologetically pro-EU.

Whatever one thinks of her style, it’s working. On a good day, Galizia gets 400,000 readers, more than the combined circulation of the country’s newspapers (Malta’s population is 420,000).

When she dines out, guests from other tables come over to wish her well. But her unease with what she sees as the island’s twin scourges — big money and shadowy politics — leaves her bitter. Fear of where her country has headed has made her unapologetically pro-EU: “Over my dead body will my children be stuck on these rocks,” she says.

Click here to return to the full listing of the POLITICO 28 class of 2017, and click here for an explanation of what this ranking means.

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AA

What utter nonsense. It is true that, in Malta, she is a political force to be reckoned with, and it is true that she blogs relentlessly, but what this ridiculous excuse for a report does not contextualise is that she is intimately linked with the Nationalist Party (now in Opposition), and has never *ever* reported, investigated, or held to account anyone on her side of the political spectrum. So the claim that she is somehow a paladin of truth and transparency is entirely misleading. Her blogging is done out no commitment to such lofty ideals, but purely for partisan reasons to damage her political opponents (as she in no way applies the same zeal and zest to her individuals loyal to her own cause). Referring to John Dalli is no justification, John Dalli was a black horse even within the Nationalist Party. Completely misleading. Whomever penned this tripe was either deeply embedded within her colon at the time, or fed such a ridiculous narrative I daresay he or she probably still believes Santa is real.

Posted on 12/7/16 | 9:46 AM CET

cecil h jones

Well done!

A rose balances on a stem of thorns.

Keyword – balances

Posted on 12/7/16 | 10:05 AM CET

Rob

She’s more of a one woman Daily Mail, if you ask me.

Posted on 12/7/16 | 10:38 AM CET

Stash

Yes she indeed attacks cronyism and corruption but she is somewhat selective as to where she chooses to see it, as Politico itself makes clear by noting that her guns are not aimed at the Opposition which was the party in government for 25 of the last 30 years. As someone whose professional work brought into him into contact with major works contracts signed by the previous government and who in fact voted for the present government out of disgust at poor governance and cronyism I witnessed (which has only got worse) , I see Daphne as part of the problem. That problem remains the endemic clannnishness that bedevils Maltese society and politics. In fact she is the finest possible example. It is not that she only targets ‘one side’ ; she only targets specific elements that conform to what in her view is in the right camp (i.e. one of ‘us’ )and gives others a very wide berth. The children of a former prime minister have never been in her sights for example, even though the mayoralty of one was a disgrace and an exercise in amateur administration on the basis of political favour. Daphne never bridged the gap from blogger to professional investigative journalism and one can argue that she does not need to as she is in fact a blogger. Therein however lies the main problem of partisanship and cronyism that she is a part of. A professional journalist investigates all allegations and only publishes what can stand on the basis of facts and public interest. To trash a prime minister’s wife on her choice of evening wear (but not giving us any details of what the opposition leader’s partner chooses to wear) while also using her blog on report on more serious matters raises questions on her own credibility. Her style – the rabid partisan blog – only reinforces partisanship and does not contribute to having in Malta an electorate that demands proper governance and accountability irrespective of who is in power. She is glad to be in the EU so her children are not tied to ‘these rocks’ I note. But she herself never broke away from the tribal mindset in the first place. In fact, I’d put her in the inner circle of one of those two tribes.

Posted on 12/7/16 | 11:39 AM CET

Marika Degiovanni

The fact that you included a “reporter” that has proclaimed publicly that she shall be pissing on the grave of a former Maltese Prime Minister on the day of his death in this list is saying a lot about Politico. Have you reduced yourself to her level ? If you have reached this abyss then Politico has reduced himself to ridiculousness. Daphne Caruana Galicia is the only hate blogger in Malta. Her so called blogs are biased, unreal and certainly never objective. Politico should start Che king its sources not just on this issue but also on other reportage on our gorgeous islands.

Posted on 12/7/16 | 7:10 PM CET

John Bulger

This picture above depicting Daphne Caruana Galizia is fake. Primarily she is much older then what she looks in this picture, uglier and fat …..very fat. Her backside is larger then a one meter in diameter pumpkin to put it mildly. Her blog is popular because of the shocking hate she promulgates from it ….and you know how people…always attracted to the most shocking news……but it’s junk …..like a daily soap opera

Posted on 12/7/16 | 7:21 PM CET

David Bordanaro

Daphne Caruana Galizia …..are you insane …..have you done your research ….this persona is a hate blogger not a journailist, and she spews hate towards everyone, whether in politics or not, just because he disagrees with her. She is the most bitter person in the Maltese Archipelago. She went as far as insulting even the American Ambassador. She happens to have been a female ! She accuses everyone who she deems of corruption and has so far never provided a shred of evidence …not a single shred. And in so doing harming the country. She hates, furiously hates, her poitical opponents to an extent which is outrageous and certainly unethical. She is no journalist but the venomous whisperer you find downtown spewing hate and rage. Her political party, which has spent 25 years in power and given her and her husband hundreds of thousands of Euros in direct contracts has lost the last election. Since then the rage has been going on on a daily basis. It even got worse when it was found and became public knowledge that she has not paid her taxes and she has now been taken to court by the present government to pay up. This is also the person who her own party accused her of ruining the chances of them winning the last election…..she is that bad !!!!

Posted on 12/7/16 | 7:41 PM CET

Philip Grima

Politico, half the Island is laughing it’s socks off at your “award” to Daphne Caruana Galizia. She is blamed by some who support her party, the PN , of being one of the causes for the PN losing the 2013 election, with the hatred and vitriol she spawns upon those who support the Labour Government. So, yes, I have to agree , she has been useful in bringing change to Maltese Politics after 25years of rule by the PN, the party she supports, during whose tenure “cronyism” was so embedded that the people just stopped questioning it . Daphne is small fry really, a big fish in a small pond .

Posted on 12/12/16 | 12:28 PM CET

Philip Grima

Oh, and Daphne, be brave and stop using such an air brushed image of yourself, do.

Posted on 12/12/16 | 12:30 PM CET

Vincent Difesa

Good of the information given.

Posted on 12/14/16 | 6:19 PM CET

Natalie Mallett

Look at what they have done to her today
daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2017/02/minister-economy-policy-officer-frozen-bank-accounts-statement-issued-media/

Many people do not like what she writes as some here would like to stick their head into the sand and refuse to see things as the really are . Most of the news she wrote about turned out to be the truth, she is also quite out spoken and this is not appreciated by some. I personally think that certain personal issues could be avoided as she does not need this at all. She is one of our best, professional journalist and thanks to her so many things have come to light. Though she criticises both parties she is in the Labour party’s black book, they hate her guts and try everything in their power to shut her up and I feel that this is not done

Posted on 4/24/17 | 1:23 AM CET

BLEQQ

THIS CARUANA GALIZIA SURNAME IS JUST A HATE BLOGGER .. LOL … she has so many cases in court that she can just sleep there … her only work is to HATE LABOURITES that is all with the blessing of the nationalist party ……. she s not a journalist but just a hate blogger … politico ? who is behing this article ? I Just wonder !!!

I think someone sold you a VERY smelly fish dressed under a salad! And you know?Soiled and old fish is only good throw away! DOG! sorry DGC is a hate ball! If one think what hate looks like? One only has to read her staff! Well! She gets paid fantastically for her pen! I believe she owes thousands in Tax! I guess money is her god! So,as she fancies herself the left ? or right hand of the P.N. She write what she thinks is the most hurtful to write about anyone! From Children to old! One only like her writing if he/she hates P.N. Or likes horror staff. So I do not know who gave you the above information,but I am sure it is one that have just mentioned! SO You are in dire straits! to waist a page on her!

” …. the principal reason for this last PN debacle must be laid firmly at Caruana Galizia’s door and a party leadership that was content to dance to her tune.

She accepts no view of politics in Malta except the one she espouses: visceral hatred for the Labour Party and anyone who supports it. In her blind loathing of Labour, she cannot see the harm that her hate inflicts on the Nationalist cause. There is something demented and unbalanced about her snobbishly outdated contempt for the Maltese on the basis of class. Sadly, she has come to epitomise the PN.

The blogger has remained pathetically stuck in a poisonous groove and, in this election, despite, or as a result of, her outstanding Panama Papers scoop, she came to represent the surviving, unacceptable face of the Nationalist Party, whose personal attacks alienated so many former party voters. She contributed significantly to its downfall.”

Posted on 6/21/17 | 8:26 AM CET

Saviour Ellul

Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed today by a bomb that shattered her car and left her unrecognisable, a stone’s throw away from her home in Bidnija, Malta.

Barbara

R.I.P., Brave Woman!

Posted on 10/16/17 | 7:39 PM CET

Edward C

RIP Daphne, you were taken way before your time. You are an inspiration to me and many others that will not be bowed by the corrupt. Thank you for your tireless, amazing and powerful work. You will not be forgotten. Love and Respect from Australia. X

Posted on 10/17/17 | 5:15 AM CET

ABDUL HAMEED

This pure eliminated to hide the truth by reach

Posted on 10/17/17 | 11:17 AM CET

KevinL

As she and so many like her know, this line of work has its price. She is one of those who met this hard reality.

That said, her reporting was most often one-sided. If nothing else, she was selective about whom and what she exposed. That ultimately increases the likelihood that someone will get you. Sounds cold, but reality is brutal.

Posted on 10/17/17 | 10:16 PM CET

MSOLDN

Possibly she came up with some nuggets of accurate information, but Ms Galizia was a purveyor of fake news on a level that rivalled conspiracy theory websites in America such as InfoWars. From personal observation, I could see that at least some of her reports were based on unverified (and false) rumours that she sourced elsewhere on the internet. Nobody should die a violent death, and this incident was indeed tragic, but to depict Ms Galizia as a “valiant warrior” is at least a partial distortion of the truth.

Posted on 10/18/17 | 3:54 PM CET

Saviour

AA is not striking any balance at all. The partisan political scene has been dominated by the Nationalist and Labour parties. Daphne made no secret of the fact that she believed that Labour was to be kept away from the reigns of power because they always operate like a criminal organisation and attracted the worst sort of fixers, crooks, criminals, sleazesters and shady operators like bees to nectar.

Having said that she attacked a Nationalist deputy leader for being stand offish and complacent and the current Nationalist leader for getting in on the game late in the day with bad baggage.

The ’cause, as AA put it, was to push the complacent Maltese electorate out of its stupor so as to evaluate politically significant persons through the lens of high moral, ethical and behavioural standards.

Not everyone will do for political office be it local mayor or prime minister. Being matey and distributing gifts is just not good enough. Being rich does not automatically elevate one to national leadership or privileged influencer status. Closing one and a half eyes to the raiding the national larder by the politically connected because it is not illegal, was not on for her. A good reputation with the reputable (does not include the Azerbaijani regime) is important whether money of dubious origin is rolling in or not.

By any standards such aims are lofty indeed. By Maltese standards they are stratospheric.

Posted on 10/19/17 | 3:37 PM CET

Lazar

It is ashaming that the officials of Malta do not do everything to find the real murderer of Daphne! And it is ashaming too that the EU do not do everything in this direction!

Please, sorry to my english but I am german and learn english only in scool.